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Friday, February 26, 2016

WIZARD’S RISE (A Severed Empire Novel) by Phillip Tomasso [4 stars]

From the Description

A war is coming. There is no way to prevent it. The only thing for certain is that there will be one loser. . .and one winner. For over two hundred years the Rye Empire enforced drastic measures outlawing the use of magic. To avoid capture a handful of remaining Wizards escaped royal persecution and made it into hiding. Shortly after the decree the empire crumbled, but the laws remained in place. . . The Mountain King’s ambitions of becoming the next Emperor will be realized. With forced help from an enslaved sorceress, he will stop at nothing until he achieves his dreams. The easiest path to victory can be obtained by retrieving buried talismans. With those enchanted items in his possession he can summon the Wizards, steal, and harness their power. In an effort to save the Old Empire from a growing, sinister magic, seventeen-year-old farmboy Mykal and five friends begin a desperate journey. They must collect the talismans before the Mountain King. Their trek will force Mykal to face fears, and accept truths he’d never known existed. There isn’t much time. A war is coming. Their chances of winning will depend on whether they succeed or not. If they fail, a terrible darkness will steal the light from the Grey Ashland Realm. . .forever.

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is in

no way reflected in my opinion of this book. For more fun follow along with the

Wizard's Rise is a fun fantasy that will captivate both adults and younger readers alike. Reminiscent of Terry Pratchett's books or the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. The story started a bit slow for me but it wasn't long before I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The quest to find the talismans and stop the coming war that Mykal and his friends take is filled with interesting characters and magical adventure. I'm looking forward to the second part of this charming series. A fun and exciting 4 star read.

Phillip Tomasso is the award-winning author of over 17 novels. He began his career writing mystery and suspense novels in 2000. Since, he has gone on to publish books in a wide variety of genres, including Horror, Young Adult, Science Fiction, and Fantasy.

His first short story was published in 1995, and he was paid a penny a word. It was an 8,000-word western.

However, it being a Canadian publication—and at a time, when the U.S. dollar was worth more—his check was for just under $40. It was a great starting point, and has been selling regularly since then.

Although not a full-time writer, Tomasso works a full-time job as well. After 19 years at Kodak as an employment law paralegal, he’s spent the last six plus years a Fire/EMS Dispatcher for 9-1-1. He works the midnight shift, First Platoon, and has found the hours conducive to his creativity.

Tomasso prefers to both read books in the same genres he writes. He has been inspired by the likes of Walter Mosley, the entire Easy Rawlins series. Anything by Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Robin Cook, John Saul, Warren Hammond, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, Charlie Huston’s Joe Pitt novels, and Jim Butcher’s Dresden series. Just to name a few!

Tomasso lives in Rochester, NY with his 3 kids—who are not little any longer. Aside from reading and writing, Tomasso plays guitar, and is an self-admitted horrible singer. He is always at work on a next novel.

"This is different … confident, addictive storytelling, great characters, and an intriguing plot. You’ll read it fast but remember it for a long time. " —Lee Child, best selling author of One Shot and the Jack Reacher series

"(Tomasso) takes the standard fare of the private investigator genre and adds twists and turns to make it anything but standard. Tomasso’s writing is crisp and clear … thoroughly enjoyable." —Joseph Nassise, author of Internal Games and King of the Dead

"Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is one of my all time favorite adventure yarns . . . Tomasso has managed to preserve Stevenson’s characters and pacing as the story enters this terrifying new adventure into the land of the living dead. I hadn’t counted on loving this story as much as I did, but it surprised me and delighted me and terrified me every time I turned the page. Great adventure, great thrills, and a terrifying glimpse into the jaws of death. Highly recommended!" –Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Dog Days and Plague of the Undead

"Blood River is a thrilling blast of cryptozoological fun, a wild ride down tropical rivers in pursuit of a terrifying legend. It will leave you hungry for the next catch!" –David Sakmyster, author of The Pharaohs Objective and Jurassic Dead

Giveaway

Special SF SIGNAL giveaway!! Print and e-book copies. Starts Tuesday, Feb. 23 and runs through March 1. Head over to enter to win!

About Me

Angela Crawford lives in Corpus Christi, Tx with her husband, Scooter(spoiled yorkie), Larry Bird (a pineapple green-cheeked conure), and two turtles. Her superpower is reading, no seriously it's reading. She reads like 4 or 5 books per week! She spends her free time answering to her little furry master (Scooter). Fishing in the gulf for sharks, because you know, Jaws is out there! Camping & hiking through Texas State Parks. And feeding an unhealthy obsession for Bruce Campbell. Angela loves all things horror but has a special place in her heart for werewolves, mutant redneck cannibals, and The Army Of Darkness.Owner and sole reviewer at Horror Maiden's Book Reviews. I do book reviews, Interviews and articles. If you're looking for an honest review look no further Let me spread the word about your work!